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8 Rev. Eur. Stud. 123 (2016)
Assessing Students' Knowledge and Soft Skills Competency in the Industrial Training Programme: The Employers' Perspective

handle is hein.journals/rveurost8 and id is 127 raw text is: Review of European Studies; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2016 ISSN 1918-7173 E-ISSN 1918-7181 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education Assessing Students' Knowledge and Soft Skills Competency in the Industrial Training Programme: The Employers' Perspective Lim Khong Chiu1, Nor Idayu Mahat2, Basri Rashid3, Norhanim A. Razak3 & Hamimi Omar3 1 School of Tourism, Hospitality and Environmental Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia 2 School of Quantitative Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia 3 School of Tourism, Hospitality and Environmental Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia Correspondence: Lim Khong Chiu, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Environmental Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia. E-mail: lkc@uum.edu.my Received: August 18, 2015 Accepted: February 2, 2016 Online Published: February 13, 2016 doi: 10.5539/res.v8nlp123 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/res.v8nlp123 Abstract The importance of developing soft skills competency among students should be the priority of all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in order to ensure their graduates are marketable. Therefore, it is essential for HEIs to distinguish the knowledge and soft skill levels of their students so that strategies and intervention could be implemented to rectify their capabilities. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and soft skills competency from the employer's viewpoints on the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) students participating in the industrial training programme. A total of 438 employers from different industrial backgrounds had participated in this study. A questionnaire consisting of five dimensions of soft skills which are basic knowledge, communication skills, practical skills, leadership, and attitude was utilized to collect data. The results of this study indicate that the employers were satisfied with the knowledge and soft skills competency portrayed by UUM students in preparing themselves for the real work environment. The employers from the service sectors were satisfied with students' performance in all dimensions of soft skills measured. However, employers from the factory and commerce sector perceived as moderate satisfaction for all dimensions of soft skills. Additionally, the employers of the factory and commerce sector assessed by giving the lowest satisfaction score for hands-on skills, but generally they satisfied with the students' communication skills. The information gathered can provide important insights from the perspective of organizations which is valuable in improving the overall hard and soft skills competency for future professionals and managers. Keywords: industrial training, student's performance, employers, soft skills 1. Introduction The importance of industrial training or internship program has been discussed by many researchers such as Lloyd and Briston (2006), Barney and Pleban (2006), Griffith and Wilson (2003) and Beck and Kosnick (2002). Most of these studies critically discussed the change of attitude that should be possessed by students when they complete the training. Students may possess good attitudes, better skills and maturity, but their mood (anxiety, job satisfaction, perception and efficiency) may change unconsciously throughout the period (Teng, 2008). These findings demand further research to be done especially in developing a theoretical framework of industrial training in relation to smart partnership. A deliberate plan of industrial training programs will prepare students for quality young employees that could bring benefits to the country economically. The period of formal industrial placement or practical training has long been implemented in the university educational programs. The benefits of exposing students with real life experience have not been denied by both academicians and industry practitioners. They have acknowledged that the hands-on experience gathered from training can bridge the gap between theory and practice (Barrow & Walsh, 2002). This experience enables them to practice the theory learned in the classroom and to apply the relevant skills and competencies during the practical training period without conforming to traditional classroom setting. Furthermore, students' involvement in practical training can set directions and promote positive outcomes, as well as provide career opportunities (Lim, 2006). Previous studies have focused on students' perception of their experiences and lessons learned (Mihail, 2006;

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